waterfibld



(No Model.)

J. W WATERPIELD.

SINGLE TREE. No. 363,442. Patented May 24, 1887.

j yfvibmizogfl I I I v y gfyawtioz l 33n M @Wfozn up UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. \VATERFIELD, OF SHARON, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NEPOLEON B. \VATERFIELD, OF SAMEPLAOE.

SINGLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 363,442, dated May 24, 1887.

Application filed February 9, 1887. Serial No. 297,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, J AMES W.WArEnFrELn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sharon, in the county of Weakley and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Singletrees, of which the following is a specification.

'The .invention relates to improvements in singletrees, being principally adapted for use on buggies; and its main object is to immediately disconnect a horse from a vehicle should he become frightened and run away or in any manner endanger the safety of the occupants of the vehicle.

The main feature of the invention is a rod journaled upon and in fact forming part of the singletree, which rod has its end bent to engage in suitable openings in the rear ends of the traces. When the rod is turned in its bearings, the bent ends are reversed and allow the traces to be immediately disconnected therefrom.

The invention consists, further,in certain details of construction and arrangement, hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan of the singletrec with the journaled rod and the ends of the traces attached thereto. Fig. 2 represents a similar view-with the said rod having its ends reversed to allow the traces to disengage from them. Fig. 3 is a central transverse section of the singletree and attachments.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates a singletree having secured to its rear edge, near to and at equal distances from its ends, the similar eyebolts-a a, which form journals for the iron rod B. The ends I) of the said rod are bent in curves, so as to stand nearly at right. angles to the shaft or transverse part or the rod andform hooks to engage suitable openings in the rear ends of the traces, as

shown in Fig. l.

The central portion of the rod B is bent so as to form the crankdoop O. This crankloop is formed by bending the central portion of the rod B out of the line'of the main portion of the red, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and then bending the arms of the loop, as at c, at right angles, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. This construction enables the crank, when the rod is in its normal position, to fit around the lower rear edge of the singletree, so as not to interfere with its working. The hooked ends 5 5 b of the rod are turned backward when the device is in its normal position.

6 c are eyebolts similar to the eyebolts a a, and secured in the rear edge of the singletree on opposite sides of the crank-loop C, to form additional journals for the rod B.

D is a cord or strap secured to the crank O at its front end, and having its rear end detachably connected to a proper holding device upon some convenient part of the vehicle-as, for instance, the upper edge of the dash-board.

E E are arms made of stiff wires secured upon the eyebolts a, and which, curving thence rearward and outward under the rod B, have their ends in contact with and immediately below the corresponding ends of the said rod. These wires keep the traces from being accidentally disengaged from the hooks b when the latter are in their normal positions.

It is evident that should the horse become 5 frightened the driver, by pulling the strap D, can turn the crank G rearward, and consequently the hooked endsb forward, so that the least motion of the horse will cause the traces to fall off said ends.

Having described my invention, I claim- The combination of the singletree havingt-he arms E at its ends projecting rearward] y and having the outward-turned curved extremities, the rod B, journaled on the rear side of the singletree and having the curved hook ends 1), adapted to meet the extremities of the arms E, and the crank 0, formed in the central portion of its rod and extending therefrom in the direction of the hooks b, the said 0 cranks being turned at right angles, and thereby adapted to embrace the lower and front sides of the singletree, and serving for the attachment of a strap, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J AMES W. WATERFIELD. Witnesses:

LEE NowLIN, V. 0. Samoa. 

